U.S. Retains Wightman Cup, With Ease

The Wightman Cup -- fought over by five-woman teams from the United States and Great Britain for 57 of the last 62 years -- will remain the United States' for a seventh straight year.

The United States won the first four matches of the seven-match series to make today's three contests moot.

"It would be fun to have it still alive Saturday," said British captain Virginia Wade, who has played in this event for 21 years, though this is likely her last.

But it wasn't, as Chris Evert Lloyd, Kathy Rinaldi and Pam Shriver won singles matches, and Anne White and Betsy Nagelsen won in doubles match to clinch Friday.

Shriver beat Jo Durie in today's first match, 6-4, 6-4, and summed up the attitude of the U.S. team: "I didn't want to be the '1' in a 6-1 series."

Evert beat Annabel Croft, 6-3, 6-0, in the second match. Evert and Shriver finished with a 6-3, 6-7 (6-8), 6-2 win over Durie and Anne Hobbs for a 7-0 U.S. sweep.

"There was a little bit of pressure out there, playing for your country." Evert said of dropping the first six points of her first match. "This is an event with a lot of history and prestige."

Shriver: "You're always nervous in team matches. There's more nervousness in these than any tournament except Grand Slam events."

White: "This is the first time I've ever played for my country. Sure, I was nervous. You're playing for teammates, coaches, a lot of people. I was serving (the first game of the match) and I look up and see the flag. That's kind of scary."

There is talk that, because the British have been weaker for quite a while, the team should be opened to European players, as the Ryder Cup is in golf. Sue Mappin, British team manager, said that is a bad idea: "America is not producing the young players as they once did. And how long can Chris Evert continue to play?"

This might horrify every Washington socialite worth his or her weight in Gucci:

"I was asked to dinner at the White House for Prince Charles and Diana, but I had to decline," said Shriver, who must leave for Australia.

"It was a tough decision," she said. Then, with a smile, added, "But I figured I'd seen enough of the Brits this week."